Former Nashua North standout Brendan Martin, now a senior at Saint Joesph's of Maine, was named the GNAC Men's Lacrosse Player of the Week. (Photo courtesy of Saint Joseph's College)

It’s been a great North-South connection up in Maine.

Two former Nashua high school lacrosse players are enjoying the start to the college men’s season after a year away from competition.

Nashua North alum Brendan Martin was named the Great Northeast Athletic Conference’s Men’s Lacrosse Player of the Week after a spectacular start to his season for St. Joseph’s College of Maine in Standish.

Also, Martin’s teammate, Shane Puelo, a former Nashua South standout, recently broke the St. Joseph’s career assist record in the team’s home opening win last week vs. Southern Maine.

Martin scored 14 goals – including five man-up tallies – and added three assists and 10 ground balls in the Monks’ 2-1 start to the 2021 season. The senior attack netted five goals with two assists in the team’s 18-7 opening win at Maine Maritime Academy on March 7 and then exploded for a career-high nine goals in a 17-8 triumph over Southern Maine last week.

For Martin, the conference weekly honor is a career-first. He played and started in 15 games in 2019, scoring 19 goals with 12 assists (31 points) with 27 ground ball pickups.

Puelo, meanwhile, finished that game last week with three goals, three assists, two ground balls and two caused turnovers. After that contest his career assist mark stood at 81 in 41 games, three more than former teammate Brendan Barrett ’18 recorded in 64 contests over four seasons.

In 2019, he played and started in all 17 games as a sophomore attackman, with 21 goals and 48 assists – leading the team in both — for 69 points, plus 37 ground ball pickups.

Here’s a look at how some other locals are doing on the young college season:

ETHIER LEADS BENTLEY

Tommy Ethier was back near home on Tuesday. He and his fellow Bentey University golf teammates faced Southern New Hampshire Univesity at Green Meadow Golf Club in Hudson, but dropped a 587-595 decision to the Penmen.

Ethier, a senior captain, had a three-over 74, tied for second on the team

FIRST HIT FOR CARIGNAN

Former Campbell standout Marissa Carignan was one of 11 sophomores for the St. Michael’s College (Vermont) softball team to record her first career hit during a season-opening four-game series vs. Franklin Pierce this past weekend.

It was the first game action for the St. Michael’s program since April 28, 2019.

ACADEMIC HONORS FOR GILLIS

Milford’s Bonnie Gillis, a former Bishop Guertin standout, was one of 18 members of the St. Michael’s College field hockey team to qualify for the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Collegiate Division II National Academic Squad for this past fall.

Gillis met the qualification standard of at least a 3.30 semsster grade point average. It was her second time gaining the honor, and the sixth time in the last eight years the school’s field hockey program has had at least 18 athletes qualify.

STAPELFELD HELPS PACE ST. JOSEPH’S

Cassandra Stapelfeld of Brookline continues her fine collegiate career as the abbreviated St. Joseph’s of Maine seson winds down. The senior recently had 14 poiints in a win over Colby College, 59-50. She went 6 for 6 from the foul line.

The former Hollis Brookline standout leads the team in scoring, averaging 14 points a game. The team has two games remaining in the abbreviated season, Friday and Sunday vs. Husson.

NASHUA’S THIBAULT SEES ACTION

Freshman Matt Thibault of Nashua has made three relief appearances for the St. Joseph’s of Maine baseball team. Thibault has tossed four innings, striking out five. He has been charged with five runs on seven hits.

Newsletter